Music of the landscape analyses cultural heritage for the protection of Virunga

A new project in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is exploring ways in which deeply rooted cultural wisdoms can be applied to sustainable custodianship of nature. Musicians Without Borders, Global Vision for Africa, Federation des Scouts du Nord-kivu (FESCO) and IUCN NL have started working together in the area of Virunga National Park to engage youth in conservation efforts by analysing their cultural heritage and the Indigenous knowledge it contains. ‘Remembering songs can be a powerful way to uncover how landscapes have changed over time, and accordingly, what strategies people have adopted in order to survive those changes,’ shares Professor Angela Impey from Musicians Without Borders.

Header photo: dancing youth in Kivu, the DRC. © Musicians Without Borders

Virunga National Park is a place of great biodiversity and home to many endemic and often threatened species, such as the mountain gorilla and the chimpanzee. Illegal activities, including poaching, and years of conflict have put serious pressure on Virunga’s people and nature. People below the age of 25 make up about 68% of the region’s population: the future of Virunga lies in their hands.

‘Songs hold important knowledge about natural resources, and can share that knowledge long after the life of an individual or even a generation.’

Professor Angela Impey, consultant at Musicians Without Borders

Indigenous knowledge about nature

For many Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), nature has wide social and cultural significance. It contributes to their identity and their place in their spiritual and ancestral world. Culture and nature are therefore closely intertwined. Moreover, the deep knowledge and understanding that many IPLCs have of their environment is often embedded in cultural practices.

Songs, dances and ritual practices are rich sources of Indigenous knowledge about nature and, in particular in rapidly changing environments, it is important to safeguard these practices. In the context of North Kivu, many years of conflict have been affecting the social bond between people and their connection with their heritage and nature.

For Paul Villaespesa, expert East Africa at IUCN NL, contributing to restoring these connections is important. ‘We hope that the younger generations will re-adopt the knowledge and skills of their elders. And for them to see that the nature surrounding them, the unique Virunga National Park, is part of their landscape, part of their history.’

Professor Angela Impey from Musicians Without Borders says music plays an important role in safeguarding Indigenous knowledge. ‘Songs hold important knowledge about natural resources, and can share that knowledge long after the life of an individual or even a generation. Remembering songs can therefore be a powerful way to uncover how landscapes have changed over time, and accordingly, what strategies people have adopted in order to survive those changes.’

Intergenerational knowledge

Through the project ‘Music of the landscape’, we will promote the exchange of intergenerational knowledge, explore how deep-rooted cultural wisdoms can be applied to sustainable custodianship of the environment, and support the communities in participating more equitably in the management of Virunga National Park.

Because youth play an essential role in safeguarding intergenerational knowledge, our partner organisations will work with young people already involved in scouting activities of the Actors of Hope project. This will contribute to developing a deeper understanding of their natural environment and cultural heritage, and the opportunity to become key actors in safeguarding the Indigenous knowledge of their communities.

‘The aim is to bring traditional knowledge and environmental protection closer together by having young people become ambassadors of Virunga Park. To achieve this, environmental education is an important part of the project.’

Paul Villaespesa, expert East Africa at IUCN NL

Training youth to safeguard Indigenous knowledge

Educational activities are important to achieve the project’s objective, says Villaespesa ‘The aim is to bring traditional knowledge and environmental protection closer together by having young people become ambassadors of Virunga Park. To achieve this, environmental education is an important part of the project.’

According to Professor Impey, ‘Training young people to document songs from their community elders aims to achieve a number of things: to archive localised bio-cultural knowledge that runs the risk of being lost over time; and, in so doing, to encourage a sense of ownership of young people. We hope that by giving young people the responsibility to collect this information, they will develop the responsibility to protect it.’

This pilot project applies a new approach of integrated biocultural stewardship towards facilitating inter-generational cultural archiving, understanding and sharing. The activities include:

• training a group young people in archiving, interviewing and cataloging processes;
• mentoring these young people in collecting songs and musical performances part of the knowledge of their communities; and
• analysing the songs and the knowledge they contain.

Virunga Youth: Actors of Hope

This pilot project is part of ‘Virunga Youth: Actors of Hope’, in which IUCN NL and partner organisations connect youth with and engage them conservation efforts, stimulating them to become actors of a better future for Virunga National Park. Through strengthening the relation between the authorities of the park and the communities that live around it, awareness and support for conservation increases.